Wakanda Forever (T'Challa Udaku/Black Panther)

Chapter 9 The Fourth Look

The first time T'Challa gave Nefretti The Look was when they were kids. The prince sat behind a big rock starring at the two girls with swords in their hands. In one corner was Nakia, his best friend whom he had secretly followed here, and the other was a girl unfamiliar to him wearing unfamiliar clothes. He had never seen anyone in Wakanda with these types of thick clothing since the climate was quite hot. His suspicions was confirmed when Nakia said to the girl "Ukushiya kodwa uNefretti?" (give up yet Nefretti?). The young prince's eyes widen. It was Nefretti of the Jabari tribe. Their sworn enemy...Nefretti didn't answer Nakia's smug question. Instead, she cartwheeled to her weapon which was on the ground and picked it up swiftly dodging her opponent's sword. They laughed as they fought again. T'Challa also realised that they weren't fighting for real, they were friends. But T'Challa didn't storm up to them and banned their friendship like anybody else from their tribe would. He was smitten by this beautiful stranger laughing like a goddess. Thus, The Look of complete mysterious sincere love. He didn't care where she was from, he knew that he was gonna make her his wife. Nefretti was also known as Khusela, in their village she was considered sacred; a gift from their ape deity. He watched in awe as she transformed her skin into silver and gold and her hair spread out in curls. "Woah" he whispered to himself. A few days later after careful hiding, the two girls found out that he was secretly following them and the rest was history...

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A year and a half later and T'Challa's infatuation with Nefretti intensified. They were great friends which was a problem. Friends, he was too afraid to confess. Nefretti knew better though. She was quite aware how T'Challa would always stutter while talking to her and acted so differently in her presence than the way he acted in Nakia's. LIttle did he knew, she felt the same. Though she was more discrete thanT'Challa was. The two young teens were practicing their archery skills in their secret place in the field. Nakia didn't bother showing up, she had gotten the flu and was resting on her bed these past couple of days.

"Hold it like this." T'Challa said placing his hands on hers to adjust her grip. His chest was on her back, he tensed at how close he was, a part of him inside was jumping up and down like a teenage girl. She smelled better than vanilla, his favourite scent. "And release."

Nefretti squealed as the arrow hit the bull's eye. She turned to T'Challa with a victorious smile. "We did it! We did it!"

"No you did it." They still were still pressed against each other. Their eyes seemed to gleam in delight at each other. Slowly, they started to lean in. Now it was Nefretti who was jumping up and down like on the inside. Nefretti felt no lips except a gush of air. T'Challa had scooted away. What are you doing? Back away! You're misinterpreting the situation! She's not gonna kiss you! He wanted to punch his conscience after Nefretti began storming away.

"I can't believe you did that!"

"i'm sorry-" he ran after her "-I thought that I was misinterpret-"

"When are you gonna ask me out?" She faced him. Nefretti tapped her foot impatiently for an answer. T'Challa stuttered. "See!" She threw her hands up in the air. "You always do this! Chicken out when I know you like me and I like you. It drives me crazy when I always think there's someone else too that's stopping you from-" T'CHalla didn't hear anything besides her confession. He grabbed her face and kissed her shutting her up in the process. Their first kiss. That's when he gave her the second look.

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She was an absolute nervous wreck. "I can't do this! I need air!" She kept on screaming. Nefretti was about to walk into a room full of strangers who practically hates her and her family. None of them were even here. Her childhood friends were probably glaring in disgust on this supposedly happy day. Nefretti kicked out all of the girls in the room and cried on her gown. All she wanted was the people she was familiar with for the past twenty four years. The doors opened. Nefretti didn't bother screaming to leave her alone as she started to hiccup. That person wrapped his arms around her and whispered that he is here now. At first she thought that it was T'CHalla but as soon as he opened his mouth, she lifted her head in shock and wrapped her arms around her brother. "M'Baku! I'ved missed you so so much!" She cried harder.